


The Need for Intelligence

by xbld15



Series: In The Outlands [2]
Category: Tron - All Media Types, Tron: Evolution, Tron: Legacy (2010)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Mutual Pining, Pre-Slash, Still, lots of fluff, two-sided attraction this time
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-28
Updated: 2016-06-28
Packaged: 2018-07-18 21:00:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,127
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7330504
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xbld15/pseuds/xbld15
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sequel to "Underneath that Mask". </p><p>Anon and Gibson have given up searching the Outlands for other ISOs, so they decide to go back to Tron City to find some intel. </p><p>Along the way, Anon discovers something about himself, and Gibson falls even harder for Anon.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Need for Intelligence

Anon and Gibson need intel. There’s not much else they can do. They’ve been scouring the Outlands for cycles, covering little ground, and have found no signs of any remaining ISOs.

They both know they need to change their tactics if they are to find anything, or anyone. So, after coming to a unanimous decision—Gibson mentioning, and Anon nodding—they have decided to return to Tron City to do some recon and gain some much needed intel.

Gibson, based on his previous experience doing recon while Anon was recovering, volunteered himself to do the deed. However, Gibson was met with disapproval from Anon, in the form of a hand on his chest and a rather adamant head shake.

A small argument was had on Gibson’s part, eager to prove himself to Anon, but it was eventually won by Anon, who physically made Gibson sit on a rock. Anon pointed at Gibson, then to the ground; and then pointed to himself and in the direction of Tron City—Anon’s version of “you stay, I go.”

Not wanting to challenge Anon and go toe-to-toe with his amazing fighting skills, Gibson admitted defeat with a huff and refused to look at Anon as he left.

So, this is where Gibson finds himself: sitting on a rock in the Outlands, worrying his head off waiting for Anon to come back, determined to ignore Anon once he returns. He tells himself he’s not pouting.

He’s glaring in the direction of Tron City when he sees a streak of light leave the city limits, and his mood shifts. Gibson holds his breath, hoping no additional lights are following the lone one. He gives it a few seconds, and when nothing else leaves the city, he lets out his breath in a sigh of relief.

Gibson follows the streak of light as it makes its way away from the city, doubling back several times and taking different routes, until it disappears behind a large rock formation. The light reemerges from a different formation and makes a beeline for his position.

The light grows into a lightcyle, getting bigger and bigger until it abruptly vanishes a few hundred meters from Gibson’s position. A couple of seconds later, Gibson hears faint footsteps, which grow louder and louder until Anon emerges from the ledge under Gibson’s position, leaping onto the outcropping effortlessly, and makes his way to where Gibson is still sitting on the rock Anon had forced him onto.

Upon seeing Gibson, Anon tilts his head in curiosity, surprised Gibson hadn’t moved from his position. Anon had even looked back—just before he left—to make sure Gibson wasn’t following him, only to see Gibson refusing to see him off.

The act had hurt Anon slightly, but now, seeing that Gibson had actually listened to him—and now has a smile on his face—Anon can’t help but smirk under his helmet.

“Hey Buddy!” Gibson says enthusiastically, forgetting his decision to ignore Anon—just happy that Anon came back okay.

Gibson stands up and walks to Anon, giving him a quick hug once they reach each other.

Anon is stiff during the hug, not expecting the act, which causes Gibson to draw back, ending the hug a little shorter than he would have liked—hoping that he hadn’t pushed his luck.

Anon, surprisingly, doesn’t reject the hug, and actually enjoys the brief contact.

Ever since he woke up next to Gibson—who he thought had perished—Anon had felt different. It wasn’t the same way he felt when Flynn had upgraded him—overflowing with power—but something different. Like certain parts of his code had woken up and others added.

Anon started to think beyond battle tactics, thoughts becoming freer. And his thoughts drifted toward Gibson, gaining affection for the ISO; beyond his programming to protect him and his kind.

Anon looks at Gibson through his HUD, seeing the joy of his return plastered on his face. Anon thanks the opaque helmet for hiding his own excitement at seeing Gibson again—Anon is just not yet ready to deal with new feelings, especially when they center on the ISO before him.

“How’d it go?” Gibson asks expectantly, drawing Anon out of his head and back into the moment, remembering their current predicament.

Anon answers with a saddened head shake and his spirit takes a tumble as he watches the joy leave Gibson’s face, replaced by sadness. Anon puts his hand on Gibson’s shoulder and squeezes slightly, hoping to comfort Gibson. Gibson mouth turns up slightly in a forced smile and Anon wishes he could make the ISO happy.

The intel Anon had found wasn’t good. There were sentries all over the streets of Tron City and a strict curfew that had the citizens living practically as prisoners. Programs were stopped on the streets and had their discs scanned at every turn.

Anon had not been expecting the disc scans and was about to attack a sentry that had just scanned his disc. He’d been sure Clu had his code tagged with orders to derez on sight, but the sentry had only grunted and shoved the disc back to Anon—the sentry had hoped to have caught an ISO, Anon being a fresh face (well, helmet) in Tron City.

“Did you talk to anyone?” Gibson says, although he already knows the answer.

Anon shakes his head and watches the disappointment seep from Gibson. Anon’s insides twist in response.

“Anon, buddy, you’ve got to _talk_ to programs. We _need_ to know if there are any ISOs left, or if anyone willing to _fight_ Clu.” Gibson can’t help the chastising tone he uses on Anon, and instantly regrets it when Anon turns away from him, refusing to look at him.

Anon feels hurt at the stab at his character, but he honestly can’t help it. Flynn programmed him to fight, not to make small talk; programmed to fight first and ask questions never.

“Maybe I should go then,” Gibson says. He’s desperate and willing to do anything.

 _“NO!”_ Anon yells suddenly, taking both himself and Gibson by surprise.

Gibson and Anon stand in silence, for a few moments, both equally shocked.

Gibson eventually breaks the growing awkward silence.

“You _can_ talk! I knew it!” Gibson is giddy. He had hoped that Anon could speak, and was about to give up on the idea, resigning himself to the idea that Anon was just a super basic security program.

 _“Gibson,”_ Anon says, with a slight bite in his tone, aiming to refocus the ISO before him, who Anon was fearful would explode out of excitement.

Gibson breaks out of his reveries at the sound of his name. Anon had said it slightly condescendingly, but that was probably because Gibson was overreacting a bit, he figures.

“Right, sorry,” Gibson says, feeling embarrassed, scratching the back of his head and giving Anon his best puppy dog eyes as an apology.

Anon remains unfazed, and neither of them says anything for at least a minute. Gibson is about to break the silence with something, he really wasn’t quite sure, when Anon breaks the silence first.

“They were scanning discs.”

“What, really?”

“Yes, and I was sure they’d recognize me, but when they scanned my disc, nothing happened.”

“Weird.”

“Clu must think me dead. Although, I’m not sure he’d be so careless.”

Gibson’s mind is reeling at all the words Anon is a saying, and he takes in each one eagerly, analyzing every word. Anon’s tone is mostly tenor, but with an underlying bass that vibrates through Gibson, leaving him hungry for more.

“So, I guess that means there’s no way I could go. They’d scan me once and I’d be done for,” Gibson says, coming to the conclusion as to why Anon is so adamant he not go.

Anon nods solemnly. He watches as Gibson returns to his spot on the rock he was sitting on and bury his head in his hands. Anon wants to comfort him, but he honestly doesn’t know how. There isn’t really anything he can say to the ISO that would make things better.

Gibson mutters to himself for a while, trying to think of a solution to their predicament. They can’t search the Outlands forever. He can’t keep going knowing there’s no progress to be made.

Anon is considering options as well. He could go back to Tron City and try again, but there’s no way he’d find something different. Unless—

“Aha!” Gibson shouts, suddenly, “I got it!”

Anon tilts his head, curiously, as he watches Gibson spring up and walk over to stand in front of him.

 _“You,_ Anon, can _talk_ to programs in the City and get the intel we need!” Gibson shouts enthusiastically, grabbing Anon by the shoulders, shaking Anon out of joy.

 _And what you should have done in the first place,_ Gibson thinks automatically, but doesn’t say.

Anon resists the urge to throw Gibson down for shaking him, but he finds the contact comforting and it seems to bring Gibson joy, so he allows it.

“So, what do you think?” Gibson asks.

Anon had actually just came to the same conclusion. He would have done it the first time, but he didn’t believe it himself that he could talk. He was even surprised at how much he was able to say just recently. It’s like he always knew how to talk, but never considered it, and now it just comes naturally.

Being a lone wolf didn’t call for audible communication, but now that he’s with Gibson, the need has shown itself. Anon wonders if it also has something to do with his resurrection and the arrival of new feelings awakened in him.

Gibson is still waiting for Anon’s response, and there is so much joy and hope in Gibson’s eyes that there’s probably no way that Anon could refuse him right now.

Anon gives in and nods his head. It takes all of Gibson’s self-control to not hug Anon fiercely, find a way to pry that helmet off him, and kiss him senseless—he really has to do something about this whole attraction thing.

Instead, Gibson gives Anon his widest smile and claps him on the shoulder, “Thanks, buddy.”

Anon smiles under his helmet and squeezes Gibson’s shoulder, hand sliding down Gibson’s arm as they break contact, circuits flaring with the friction. Anon absently thinks about how it would feel to run his hands over Gibson’s bare arm, his chest—

“So, I guess you’re leaving again?” Gibson says, breaking Anon out of thoughts—he’d also have to do something with this whole attraction thing.

Anon blinks back into the present and notices the worry in Gibson’s face. There’s no denying the danger in returning to Tron City, especially now that the sentries will recognize Anon and might find it suspicious that he’s now chatting up programs. He’d have to be discrete and find the right way to talk to programs without gaining too much suspicion.

Anon nods in acknowledgment and reaches for his light cycle baton.

“Oh hey, Anon,” Gibson starts. Anon looks up to meet Gibson’s eyes, “Retract the hood. Programs will trust you more.”

Anon nods again and makes to leave, but stops at the edge of the outcropping. He turns around and walks back to Gibson. His helmet clicks and lets out a soft whoosh as it retracts, stopping only millimeters from Gibson.

Anon and Gibson are now looking each other in the eyes, close enough for something to happen if either one were to initiate it. Anon’s auburn eyes stare into Gibson’s green ones, as if searching each other’s souls.

“I’ll be okay,” Anon all-but-whispers, and Gibson can feel the hot breath of Anon’s words ghost over his lips. Gibson only nods. He’s frozen to the spot, unable to believe what is happening, but fully absorbed in the moment.

Anon’s helmet whooshes back into place, sealing with a click. Gibson can see his expression in the opaque glass. He can tell now that he is well and truly smitten and beyond all hope at this point. Anon once again squeezes Gibson’s shoulder and lets his hand slide down his arm.

He turns and walks toward the edge of the outcropping and jumps off the edge, but not before giving one glance back at Gibson.

+++

Gibson is sitting on the same rock when Anon leaps up onto the outcropping. Gibson stands up and goes to meet Anon, Anon’s helmet retracting as soon as they meet each other.

Before Gibson can ask if Anon found anything out, Anon says, “There are rumors of a city named Argon where there is a resistance that is fighting Clu.”

“What, really!?” Gibson questions excitedly.

“Yes. And Gibson, they say that Tron is there.”

**Author's Note:**

> I usually don't write fluff, so let me know how it went!
> 
> And I just couldn't resist bringing "Uprising" into this (I just finished watching it).
> 
> I hope you enjoyed reading this! :D


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